MENTAL MUTHA MEETS SARA SHIELDS

I like to hide away and have my own pity party, I generally become a bit of a hermit until I am ready to talk.

Do you discuss your mental health with your mum mates?

With some I do, with some I don’t. It all depends on your relationship and that’s okay.

How do you tackle mental health chats with your kid’s?

Luckily they are only 1 and 3 so we aren’t at that stage yet. It’s part of our beginning and our story together so I will share it when they are older. #howyoumademummental lol

Who helps you in the dark? (In your pits, your mental rock bottom - who is your hero?)

My husband, he gets it all in the ear. Deserves a medal. My Mum, I will always be forever grateful for my Mum. Sunshine and fresh air – just going outside. I got to this point where I felt like every part of my being was being weighed down by negative matter so one morning I got up out of bed and decided that from now on I would say yes, and I did. I became the ‘yes Mum’. If my son wanted to go to the park, we went to the park, if my friends invited me somewhere I said yes and I went. When family especially my Mum offered to care for my son I said yes. I said yes to eating better, exercise, more rest and being happy again.

What helps you in the light? (Meditation? Procrastination? Perspiration? People?)

Exercise!! 4 months post-partum with my son and I find Mumafit. A local business where Mums can go along exercise and take their babies and toddlers along. I feel like this actually saved my sanity completely. Of course there were days where I didn’t want to do anything but I made it part of our routine. My son loved going, he enjoyed playing with the other children and in turn this made me happier. Happy Mummy – Happy Baby and vice versa. This gave me something to do every morning and what better way to start the day.

Is it hard to talk about your mental health? (Doesn't mean on Instagram necessarily, but do you feel the stigma is lifting and do you feel safe to speak your mind, even if it is possibly 'mental'?)

Yes I find it easy now but to begin with I didn’t. It’s took me 3.5 years post diagnoses to become this open about my postnatal depression. It’s undeniably difficult to talk about to begin with but practice makes perfect and once that doors open you find you are not alone and that actually it’s far more common than you think.

Where’s your head at?

16,000 steps up on 5 hours sleep. Knackered, but wouldn’t have it any other way.